A total of 29 boats with 77 anglers entered the Riviera 18th Lizard Island Black Marlin Classic, “shed for seven days from Tournament Base at Lizard Island. Teams came from the Bahamas, USA, New Zealand, Russia, Japan, Finland and Australia to compete in what is now recognised as the premier heavy tackle black marlin tournament of the World.

The teams managed 294 strikes, 230 hook-ups, 132 tags 1 marlin of 487kg weighed and three other marlin tagged and released, but self disqualified by the anglers and crew concerned for technical breaches of the rules. Once again, this self disqualification ethos of our members is something we are proud of in this World class International event.

A breakdown of the estimated weights of the tagged marlin reveals not as many top end “sh this year as last, but overall their was enough action to satisfy all competitors. At least three “granders” were tagged.

100 to 150 pound 16; 200 to 250 pound 37; 300 to 350 pound 28; 400 to 450 pound 12; 500 to 550 pound 8; 600 to 650 pound 8; 700 to 750 pound 4; 800 to 850 pound 8; 900 to 950 pound 8; 1000 to 1100 pound 3.

Champion Male Angler T & R 11 Black Marlin, Peter Teakle on “Coocoran” with Captain Nick Brady.

Champion Female angler T & R 3 Black Marlin, Susan Deane on “Georgies Girl” with Captain Graham Baker. This was on a count-back from Amy Dobbins with 3 tags on “Amy Dee”.

Champion Tag & Release Team and Champion Boat were Peter Teakle and “Coocoran”.

Heaviest Marlin Trophy went to Kirill Kulazhico, from Russia, on “Moana” with Captain Daniel McCarthy with a 487kg (1071 lb) Black Marlin.

Runner-up Champion Boat was “Adrenaline”, Captain Jared Weir 8 tags on a count back from “Little Audrey”, Captain Scott Nelson, and “Viking” Bill Billson, all on 8 tags.